The present invention relates to an electrical connector which houses terminal fittings provided with metal lances.
Conventionally, connectors used metal lances to retain terminal fittings. As shown in FIG. 12 of this specification, this type of connector has a configuration whereby a metal lance 2 is cut out from a side wall of a terminal fitting 1, and a step 4 is formed on a side face of a cavity 3 of a housing 5. The metal lance 2 bends while the terminal fitting 1 is being inserted into the cavity 3. After the terminal fitting 1 has been pushed in to a specified position, the metal lance 2 returns to its original position and engages with the step 4, thereby preventing the removal of the terminal fitting 1.
A connector with this type of configuration is described in JP-63-257187.
The configuration using metal lances, whereby the lances serve to retain the terminal fitting against the side wall of the cavity, generally has a much greater retaining force than when plastic lances are used. Consequently, double retaining, using a retainer or the like, is not necessary. However, terminal fittings have been miniaturised in recent years, and consequently the metal lances have also become smaller. As a result, there is the danger that the retaining force of the metal lances alone may be insufficient, and it has been proposed that connectors which use metal lances should also be doubly retained by retainers.
In response to this, it was proposed that a retainer attachment hole 6 (shown by the chain line in FIG. 12) be formed in a side face of the housing 5, this retainer attachment hole 6 opening into the cavity 3. A retainer provided with a fitting member is inserted from the side into the retainer attachment hole 6. After the terminal fitting 1 has been inserted into the cavity 3 and is retained therein by the metal lance 2, the retainer is pushed further inwards, and the fitting member engages with a cog member 7 of the terminal fitting 1, thereby doubly retaining the terminal fitting 1. In the configuration described above, the means of doubly retaining the terminal fitting 1 is effective. However, problems arise when the terminal fitting 1 is to be removed from the cavity 3 for maintenance or the like. That is, when the terminal fitting 1 is to be removed, the retainer is pushed back, a jig is inserted from the anterior of the stopping stepped member 4, the metal lance 2 is bent, thereby releasing its engagement, and the terminal fitting 1 is pulled out. However, as has been explained, the retainer attachment hole 6 opens into the side wall of the cavity 3 through which the metal lance 2 passes. Consequently, there is the problem that the metal lance 2 returns to its original position at the time it passes the retainer attachment hole 6, and it catches with a hole edge thereof. As a result, the terminal fitting 1 cannot be easily removed.
The present invention has taken the above problem into consideration, and aims to present a connector wherein a terminal fitting is retained by a metal lance, and is doubly retained by a retainer.
According to the invention there is provided an electrical connector comprising a housing, a cavity in the housing and an electrical terminal insertable from a posterior side into said cavity, the terminal having a resilient lance part-sheared therefrom and engageable with a step of said cavity in order to retain the terminal from movement to the posterior side, and the housing having a jig insertion hole extending in the direction of said cavity and adapted to receive a jig for bending said lance to release engagement thereof with said step, and said housing further including an aperture opening into said cavity at the posterior side of said step, and a retainer insertable into said aperture and engageable with an abutment of said terminal to doubly retain said terminal from movement to said posterior side, characterized in that a recess is provided in said step and aligned with said jig insertion hole, said recess opening into said aperture whereby a jig may be inserted through said jig insertion hole, and said recess to the posterior side of said aperture, to bend said lance to release engagement thereof with said housing. Such an invention permits easy removal of a terminal using a single insertion jig.
Preferably the retainer is movable from a temporarily latched condition permitting free insertion of the terminal, and a fully latched condition in which the abutment of the terminal is engaged. In this arrangement the retainer preferably includes an aperture or slot to receive the release jig in the temporarily latched condition, thus reducing stroke of the retainer between the temporarily and fully latched conditions.